Gateway National Recreation Area

The Gateway National Recreation Area is a sprawling 27,000 acres of pawsome recreational opportunities in New York and New Jersey. The park is divided into three geographic units that span across the northern area of New Jersey at the Sandy Hook Unit, as well as two New York City areas at the Jamaica Bay Unit and Staten Island Unit. The park can easily be accessed through public transportation or by private vehicle.

Several distinct features in the Gateway National Recreation Area make this park special. Some of the more prominently attractive features include islands, marshes, beaches, and waters adjacent to the New York harbor area. Recreational activities include hiking, camping, bicycling, horseback riding, boating, swimming, fishing, and ranger-led programs. You can bring your dog to many areas of the Gateway National Recreation Area, so plan ahead to see which unit you'd like to visit.

In the Jamaica Bay Unit, dogs are allowed at Fort Tilden, Breezy Point Tip and Jacob Riis Park between September 16th and March 14th. They are prohibited in these areas from March 15th to September 15th during piping plover season. Dogs are also not allowed in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at anytime, or in the campgrounds at Floyd Bennett Field.

The Staten Island Unit encompasses Miller Field, Fort Wadsworth and the Great Kills Park. Your dog is prohibited at any of the swimming beaches at Great Kills Park during the busy season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but can enjoy the sun and sand the rest of the year. Your dog is also not allowed in the campgrounds at Camp Hudson inside Fort Wadsworth.

The Sandy Hook Unit in New Jersey sprawls across most of the Sandy Hook peninsula, and offers beaches, camping, and the Sandy Hook Lighthouse which was erected in 1764, making it the oldest operational light in the United States. Trails are pawfect for pups, but beaches are again season sensitive. Dogs are allowed on the bay-side beaches of Plum Island and Horseshoe Cove year round. All the ocean side beaches, however, only allow dogs outside of piping plover season, meaning they can come between September 16th and March 14th. Dogs are also prohibited from all Sandy Hook campgrounds. 

Your dog should be on a leash no longer than six feet at all times anywhere you travel within these units. Always be prepared and have enough drinking water to share, and clean-up bags, and be sure to promptly pick up after your pup. While no unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area requires any entrance fees to access, you may be required to pay parking fees at some parks or beaches, or fees for camping. Hours of operation will vary for each location.

Get out of city life and into some furbulous outdoor fun at the Gateway National Recreation Area with your dog today!